With naps a part of the every day I have more me time – for things like exercise and blogging;

Without being latched onto me 24/7, I am finally starting to have the time to experiment with new recipes instead of just making the same old all the time;

Sleeping through the night may not be a thing yet, but we’re getting close! A well rested Mom and Baby are a much happier pair!

There are soooooo many different directions I feel like I could take this post. I could talk about the attempted face-lift I’m giving the blog. (It’s still a work in progress – so please forgive the ever changing layouts as of late. I’ll find something I like soon, I’m sure. You’ll also notice a name change! Twenty-Something & Starving has become Mommy Runs for Food! I’ll explain that later, too!) I could discuss with you adventures in breastfeeding and un-planned bed-sharing. I could talk about my latest workout routine, PiYo, and my conversion to being a team beachbody believer. But for today, I think I will stick with the classic quick and easy recipe!

In a perfect world I would eat chocolate every single day without consequence. (The same goes for peanut butter – but I’ll save that for another day.) There may have even been a time not too long ago when I did, in fact, eat chocolate every day. Ooopsies! Now that I’m really back on board the health train, I limit my chocolate intake to a few days a week and mostly have it in the form of protein, Shakeology, and dark chocolate on occasion. So having chocolate for breakfast is kind of my jam!

Now that it’s finally not freezing outside, overnight oats are a staple breakfast for me. At night, once I put Em down to bed, I usually have some decaf tea and get my hubby’s lunch together for the following day. While my water is coming to a boil, it’s soooo easy to just throw some ingredients into a jar and have breakfast ready and waiting for me in the morning. I’ve been experimenting with a few different recipes for overnight oats – but these ones may be my new favorite. Packed with protein and tons of chocolate flavor for a sweet addict like me – waking up has never tasted so good so fast.

Toasted Almond Chocolate Overnight Oats

In a mason jar or container with a lid, mix the following ingredients:

1/4 cup oats (I used steel cut, but rolled would be great, too!)

1/4 cup nonfat vanilla greek yogurt

1/4 cup skim milk

1 scoop chocolate whey protein

1 tablespoon unsweetened cocoa powder

1/4 teaspoon almond extract

Set in the refrigerator and breakfast is waiting for you in the morning!

Serve topped with 1/2 of a sliced banana, a few chocolate chips, and some toasted slivered almonds!

Hehehehe. Gosh I just love, Stitch! He’s my fave! He reminds me of my husband and my dog if they were combined into a single being…take that however you want it. Ha!

Anywho, I’m so happy it’s finally Wednesday!!! It’s been a pretty productive week for me so far, which is probably why this is my first post of the week!! Oops!! I had a loooovely weekend in New Jersey, a doctor’s appointment on Monday. (I took my glucose test and they took some of my blood and I DID NOT pass out. That’s two times in a row now where I’ve gotten my blood taken without passing out. I may very well be an adult just yet.), and had a pretty solid workout on Tuesday night. In fact, I’ll discuss that a bit more in a few because this week I’m sharing my TUESDAY eats!

Thanks to Jenn at Peas and Crayons for the link up party!! Here’s to the last What I Ate Wednesday of Winter (because it’s officially Spring tomorrow no matter what the weather man says)!!! HUZZAH!!!

Breakfast: Breakfast for me yesterday was the same Berry Ginger Chia Smoothie I linked to a few weeks ago. It’s so effing delicious I didn’t care how cold it was outside. I enjoyed it with a big old mug of decaf green tea!

Snack: My first snack of the day was an Apple Walnut Flax Muffin (recipe tomorrow!!) and I had it around ten. It’s soooo perfectly moist and nutty and cinnamony! I was hungry again around 11, so I nommed on an apple, served on my belly which seems to be getting bigger every day! I will be 28 weeks pregnant tomorrow and that is so crazy!!! I’ve even started to notice my belly wiggling around like jello when the little munchkin in there does her kung-fu! It makes me giggle. Every single time. Even if it’s inappropriate. Like in a meeting at work. Oops! If I don’t make eye contact hopefully no one will notice my giant goofy smile!

Lunch: For lunch yesterday I heated 3oz of shredded chicken in the microwave until it was nice and warm and then I mixed it up with about 1/3 of an avocado and a squeeze of lime juice. I smushed it all in a toasted whole wheat pita with some thin sliced red onion and crisp romaine lettuce. I’m usually all about spinach, but I really wanted the texture of the lettuce in this! Ya gotta change things up a little here and there, right? Right!

Snack: So thanks in large part to some fabulous strawberries I had over the weekend (that Susan so kindly provided me) – they are all I want to eat lately. I pretty much invented the best snack ever yesterday with some strawberries I had. I spread them with a cinnamon cream cheese laughing cow cheese wedge, and then rolled them in crushed pistachios. Sweet. Creamy. Salty. Perfect. Seriously. It’s going to be an issue if and when I run out of these ingredients.

More Snacks: Well my tummy started rumbling agaiiiin around 4, so I had some roasted garlic hummus with about 8 baby carrots and 3 triscuits. I brought more with me, but after munching on all of that I decided that my belly was happy and I tucked the rest away for another day.

Dinner: I had a pretty decent workout last night, focusing primarily on my biceps and back…but I threw in some random chest presses. Oh well. I also did a 20 minute walking interval on the treadmill. Sigh. I am really looking forward to being able to run again this summer! I wanted to make sure I got my protein on when I got home, but also didn’t feel like making a big elaborate dinner. Lately, when I’m doing my meal planning, I always have an “empty” weeknight slot where I just make eggs and toast. Last night was that night. Johnny gets 2 whole eggs plus 2 egg whites, 2 slices of american cheese, and 2 slices of whole wheat toast with some smart balance with omerga 3s. I made myself an omlette with 1 whole egg and 2 egg whites whipped up with some skim milk with red onion, portobello mushroom, spinach, and 2% mozzarella cheese. I had it with 2 slices of smart balancy toast, too. It was exactly what I needed!!

Dessert: Of course my life isn’t complete without dessert these days!I’m really hoping to break this habit once baby is born and I’m less hungry all the time. Of all the desserts I could have though, I don’t feel bad about this one…particularly because sometimes I eat it for breakfast!! It’s just 1/2 cup of plain nonfat greek yogurt with 1 (okay 1 HEAPING) tablespoon of peanut butter with some chocolate chips on top!! I love everything about it!! And obviously I’m feeding my muscles with more protein…and my baby with chocolate chips. Nom!!

So dudes..what’s the BEST thing you ate this week so far? I’m still reveling in my snack invention glory.
What’s your favorite omelet filling?

Ooopsie Daisy! It looks like I skipped over my WIAW #15 and did two #14s instead. Pregnancy brain. Oh wells. Onto #16!! As per usual (lately, anyway) here are my eats for Monday. I’m actually super pleased with my diet this week, I’ve been eating like a champion and definitely loving my veggies this month! I’m thinking perhaps I’ll share some weekend eats on Wednesday soon, just for funsies. I tend to eat a bit less healthy and more like a real person (like pizza!!) on the weekends. We shall see. Either way, big thanks to Jenn at Peas and Crayons for the fab link up!! If you’ve got a healthy recipe you’d like to share make sure to pop by tomorrow for round two of my Real Food Recipe Roundup linkup!! I’d love to see what some other folks are cooking out there, not just eating!!

Breakfast: I mentioned in my post on Monday that Central PA is in desperate need of a Trader Joes, annnnnnd this Multigrain Triple Berry with Flax and Chia Instant Hot Cereal has a lot to do with it. I snagged this box on Saturday and I don’t know what to do…because it’s amazing and I want to keep eating it… but I don’t want to run out, either!! I had one pack for breakfast on Sunday and it wasn’t enough…(then I proceeded to have a bowl of cantaloupe, 2 slices of leftover Margarita pizza, 4 brownie bites, and a glass of milk. Yeah, I should definitly give you guys a peek into my weekends, haha!) two packs on Monday did the trick!!! Oh my gosh, it’s so delicious and berry-y. Enjoyed with decaf earl gray – obvi.

Snack: I snacked happy Monday. Literalllyyyyyyyy. Oh gosh, look at me, I’m cheesin’ over here…ahhhh I did it again. Food puns for days!!!

Lunch: Lunch was pretty simple on Monday. I had a pita spread with a bit of roasted garlic hummus (obsessed!), a Morning Star Farms Mediterranean Chickpea Burger, some feta, romaine, and bell peppers.

Snack: Snack number two on Monday was is one of my faves! Since it’s been warm enough in my office I’m able to enjoy some cold snacks more often. I had some plain nonfat greek yogurt mixed with a tablespoon of peanut butter…and 1/2 a banana. I, personally, prefer my bananas suuuuuper ripe. This one was perfect … except for the big bruise it had about halfway down. About an hour later I was still a weeeeee bit hungry, so I nommed on two of my banana protein oat bites while I finished up my shopping list/meal plan for the week!

Dinner: We had dinner at Wegmans on Monday night, which we often do when we pick up groceries right after work instead of on Sunday. I love that Johnny and I can both get whatever we want!! He had a meatball sub and a Victory IPA. I enjoyed some sesame green beans (my FAVORITE option from the Hot Asian food bar at Wegmans), some broccoli and mushroom stir fry (which is new and was also super tasty!), and a California Summer Roll!! Although I still miss my tuna and salmon rolls, I’ll be pretty darn happy munching on these whenever a sushi craving hits until June.

Dessert: We’ll call this dessert, because it happened after dinner time, but I’m pretty darn pleased with my whole Monday of eating! My “dessert” was a fancy glass filled with Vanilla Almond Milk (which I only treat myself to when I have a coupon because I’m trying to be more fiscally responsible) and a handful of Blueberry flavored Craisins. Delish!!

So folks, what’s new with you?! I had a doctor’s appointment today and little miss Emma’s heart is thump-thump-thumping away while she tumbles around in my belly. Also, the doctor totally buttered me up today and told me I look AMAZING and that if he didn’t see my belly he’d have no idea I was pregnant!! Thanks for making my day, doc.

What’s the best thing you’ve eaten lately?

Have you been eating like a champion, too, or munching on some less healthy but equally delicious foods?

Hey Dudes! I hope you’re all swell. We made it to Wednesday!! (Thank, goodness!!)

I swear I’m already just having “one of those days.” You know the kind I’m talking about. I’ve been lovingly referring to them as “pregnancy days.” Where all I want to do is cry for no reason whatsoever and everything that comes out of everyones mouth sounds stupid and makes me want to punch them in he head. Doesn’t matter what they say. “Hey Jen, look at this puppy!” *punch* “Hey Jen, I ended world hunger!” *punch* Moody McMooderson today. C’est la vie. At least it’s a little cathartic just to type it all out and share my crazy with all of you. 😀

PreGym Snack: So Johnny and I decided that this week we are going to give morning workouts a try. We’ve never really done it before, and we have no idea what our routine will be like post-baby, so we figured why not give it a whirl! I’m pretty sure he’s enjoying it more than I am, but he also doesn’t have hair to dry and makeup to put on in a locker room. We’ve been up by 5:35 and out the door by 5:50. I don’t want to get up earlier, but I think we may have to if we keep it up. This means we’re at the gym by 6:00 and I need to be in the locker room ready to shower by 6:45 so that I’m ready and raring to head to work by 7:20. I’d really like to be able to get in a full hour. *Sigh* Lots to figure out. I’m really not super hungry when I get up in the morning, but I know I need to get something down. Yesterday I went with a piece of whole wheat toast with a schmear of smart balance and a schmear of strawberry jam. I poured myself that milk, didn’t drink it, then used it for tea for the rest of the day at work.

Breakfast: Even though it was only 8 degrees out yesterday I still went with a cold breakfast. An icy cold banana (because it was sitting in our 8 degree car while we worked out) with some plain nonfat greek yogurt mixed with a tablespoon on peanut butter, a teaspoon of honey, and a dozen chocolate chips. Cold, but flippin delicious!

Snack: I definitely could tell that I worked out in the morning, as I was much hungrier than usual after that breakfast. Around 10 I nommed on a hard-boiled egg, some triscuit crackers, and a french onion laughing cow cheese wedge. (French onion are my favorite! Do you have a favorite laughing cow cheese?!)

Lunch: I was thrilled it was finally time for lunch. I don’t often have Lean Cuisines anymore, but when I do, the Tortilla Crusted Fish is one of my favorites. It’s only 300 calories with 14 grams of protein and 9 grams of fat. I actually cooked this up and steamed a cup of some fresh spinach in the microwave at the same time. I mixed the rice with the steamed spinach for an extra dose of veggies and I topped the fish with some fresh avocado. I think that when you do have frozen entrees, serving them with a little something fresh in a bowl or on a plate (not the plastic tray it comes in) definitely makes for a much more enjoyable eating experience. I munched on this for lunch while Johnny and I caught up on some Parks & Rec on Hulu+. I love how Chris and Anne are having a baby this season!! They’re so silly and perfect together!

Snack: Me and my Luna Bars. Chocolate peppermint stick is just too delicious for me to stop myself. I could certainly have worse addictions! I also had a string cheese on my way out the door at work…but I figured you guys have seen enough string cheeses for a while…so I didn’t take a pic.

Dinner: Dinner time was fun last night. I’d never made white chicken chili before and I decided it was time I give it a whirl! I sauteed a white onion and yellow bell pepper in just a wee bit of olive oil just until they were soft. I added about half of a chopped up rotisserie chicken, 2 cans of white beans, 2 cans of green chilies, a can of hominy, and half a box of chicken stock. I seasoned it with 2 teaspoons of garlic powder, 2 teaspoons of cumin, 2 teaspoons of smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of chili powder, and 1 teaspoon of oregano. I also added the juice and zest of half of a lime. It was amusing, because of our AM workout Johnny was like “I don’t know what to do with my time!” so he started helping me with dinner by stirring the pot while I added everything to it. Then he was like ” I don’t know how you do this every night…it’s so boring!” Oh, my love bug. What a nut! I also whipped up a quick batch of biscuits with some Bisquick Heart Smart Baking Mix. Just the baking mix and some skim milk whipped up together, dropped on a sheet pan, and baked for 7 minutes at 450. Done and done. Topped my chili with a wee bit of cheese, sliced avocado, and a squeeze more lime. It was delightful!!

Dessert: It’s funny, I look at my day of food and I’m like “Good job, me. You worked out. You ate well. You’re a rock star.” And then I’m like…oh wait you’re pregnant…go ahead and have that cookie. Heh – just one though! And some skim milk. Definitely could have been worse, right? 😉

So, do you prefer AM or PM workouts? Why do you prefer them??What’s your preferred frozen entree if you resort to them??Are you watching Parks & Rec this season?Do you ever have a day of eating well and then finish it up with something less healthy?

Good morning, all!! Happy hump day! I’m going to keep today’s What I Are Wednesday post short and sweet (like me)! This is actually everything I ate yesterday…I decided to plan for this post ahead of time for once! I feel like that’s something I need to get used to doing – planning things ahead of time – what with a baby on the way. We’ll see how that works out I suppose. 😉 A big thank you goes out to Jenn at Peas and Crayons for hosting this fabulous link up. Enjoy my eats!

Lunch: Leftover spinach and artichoke dip (I made it for New Year’s Eve but didn’t wind up eating any because I ate so much other food!) with a handful of tortilla chips and a dozen baby carrots. I also had a few Brookside Chocolate Blueberries! (Thanks, Nicole!)

Dinner: John and I had a really great arm workout at the gym and I was suuuuuuuuuper hungry when I got home. I marinated two tilapia fillets in a combination of soy sauce, sesame oil, sriracha, garlic, and just a tiny bit of brown sugar while I let them defrost in a ziplock in a big pot of warm water for 5 minutes. I cooked them really quickly in a skillet with the marinade which turned into a lovely glaze. I popped a pouch of Uncle Ben’s Brown Basmatti Ready Rice in the microwave and tossed together a quick Wegmans Food You Feel Good About Asian Chopped Salad and dinner was done in twenty minutes! I covered it in green onions and more sriracha and devoured it.

Dessert: After all of that dinner I was still kind of hungry and wanted something sweet, so I melted together a tablespoon of peanut butter and a tablespoon of nutella and plopped a sliced banana on top. Ya know – plopped is not a very appetizing word now that I think about it. Oh well. It was effing delicious. Then Johnny and I watched Dads, Brooklyn-Nine-Nine, and I proceeded to fall asleep on the couch during New Girl. Oh well!!

What was your favorite thing you ate this week so far?! I loved my dinner last night…I’ll definitely be making my tilapia that way again, soon!